Canary Islands 112: Christmas Incidents Up 6%, Calls Down 30%
The Canary Islands' 112 emergency service handled 632 incidents this Christmas Eve/Day, a 6.04% increase driven by an 82.1% surge in accidents, despite a 30.2% drop in overall calls suggesting more responsible use of the line.
The 112 emergency service in the Canary Islands (CECOES 112 Canarias) handled 632 incidents between 10 PM on Christmas Eve and 7 AM on Christmas Day. This was a 6.04% increase compared to last year, when they dealt with 596 incidents during the same period.
The control room in Tenerife managed 259 incidents in the western islands, while the Gran Canaria control room handled 373 incidents in the eastern islands.
The 112 service, which is part of the Canary Islands Government, also reported that they received 1,692 calls on Christmas Eve. This is a significant 30.2% drop from the 2,424 calls received the previous year. According to 112, this decrease shows that people are using the emergency line more responsibly, mainly for urgent situations rather than for general inquiries or information.
Looking at the types of incidents, most areas saw an increase in activity compared to last year. The exception was the security sector (which includes crimes against property, public disorder, and violence), which saw a 5.6% decrease, from 301 incidents last year to 284 this Christmas Eve.
Meanwhile, incidents related to accidents, including traffic accidents, rose sharply by 82.1%, with 51 assists recorded this year compared to 28 last year. Firefighting, salvage, and rescue operations also increased by 28.5%, going from seven assists last year to nine this year.
Furthermore, healthcare-related assists (such as illnesses, medical consultations, and transfers between health centers and hospitals) increased by 6.5%, from 246 last year to 262 this year.
The remaining 26 incidents managed by the Coordinating Center were technical assists. These cover various issues like road landslides, fallen power lines, animal rescues, and water pumping.